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We have been providing treatment for headaches in San Francisco for over 23 years.

If you are someone that spends the majority of their time sitting at a desk in front of a computer, like most of our patients, you are prone to neck pain and headaches.

The reason for this is that sitting long periods causes static muscle tension in the neck, back and shoulders. The neck muscles attach to the back of the head. Chronic tension on these muscles can cause pressure and pain in the head as well as neck, upper back, shoulder, arm or hand pain.

We are simply not designed to be sitting at a desk all day and we need to be proactive making sure we are doing things to counteract these negative stresses.

Here is a partial list of things you can do:

Take frequent breaks and stretch and walk around.

Make sure your workstation is ergonomically correct.

Drink lots of water throughout the day.

Eat lots of plant foods (anti-inflammatory).

Get plenty of exercise.

Get a desk that allows you to stand or sit.

Do deep breathing exercises.

There are more but those will do for now. If you already have headaches then you should visit a chiropractor for an assessment. Depending on the type of headache and the nature and severity of your condition you may only need a few visits or you may need more.

The good news is that most headaches respond favorably to chiropractic, especially those related to sitting long periods.

So, prevention is best. But if you do get a headache then see your chiropractor.

I am a Chiropractor in the San Francisco Financial District specializing in chronic neck, arm and hand pain. I also treat herniated discs using spinal decompression, whiplash, sports injuries, headaches, and Fibromyalgia. My clinic is certified in the use of Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the LiteCure LCT-1000 for conditions such as shoulder pain, TMJ and Plantar Fasciitis. I have been in practice for over 20 years.

We have been providing treatment for back pain in downtown San Francisco for over 23 years.

One of the more common problems patients present with at our chiropractic clinics is back pain from sitting long periods in front of a computer. Some of our patients spend 10-12 hours per day there doing repetitive movements. This is very hard on the back, neck and upper extremities and can often lead to chronic pain and disability.

So what is the best way to prevent back pain from sitting at the computer?

Well, first and foremost you want to think “healthy lifestyle”. That’s right…the same lifestyle choices that keep you strong and healthy will also increase your resistance to injury at your workstation. Here is a partial list of lifestyle choices that matter:

Get plenty of sleep. When you are tired and run down you are unable to perform at your best and your immune system is also compromised which predisposes you to sickness and injury.

Drink plenty of water. The body is 70% water and constantly needs to be replenished. Water also helps keeps the spinal discs hydrated and healthy.

Consume plant foods. That’s right, plant foods are “anti-inflammatory”. The typical American diet is pro-inflammatory and is a primary contributor to back pain.

Use a cervical pillow when you sleep as this will help to maintain proper spinal alignment.

In addition, there are some very specific things you can do at work to prevent back pain:

Take frequent Micro-breaks. Every 15-30 minutes or so get up and walk around for 1-2 minutes. This is a good time to stretch and drink some water.

Stretch throughout the day. Simply go to YouTube and search for stretches you can do at your desk. Then do them. Your chiropractor can also provide you with some handouts. This will go a long way helping to prevent and reduce back and neck pain.

Proper ergonomic set-up. Make sure your workstation is set-up properly. A few tweaks here and there can reduce stress on your body that can build-up and lead to injury and back pain.

Deep breathing exercises and help relax muscles, clear the mind, and reduce stress.

There you go. You really can work long hours at the computer and live a healthy “back pain free” lifestyle. It just takes a little attention and focus. It’s well worth the effort.

In the event you do develop back pain you should visit your chiropractor. Some people choose to do this on a regular basis for prevention and maintenance. Others just come in whenever they feel they need a tune-up. Chiropractic is quick, painless, affordable, and effective.

I am a Chiropractor in the San Francisco Financial District specializing in chronic neck, arm and hand pain. I also treat herniated discs using spinal decompression, whiplash, sports injuries, headaches, and Fibromyalgia. My clinic is certified in the use of Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the LiteCure LCT-1000 for conditions such as shoulder pain, TMJ and Plantar Fasciitis. I have been in practice for over 20 years.

We have been providing posture related chiropractic treatment in San Francisco for over 23 years.

The majority of the patients we treat in downtown San Francisco spend most of their day sitting in front of a computer. This is after having already spent most of their lives sitting at a desk in school. It’s just the way it is.

Now this is all well and good if something is being done to counteract the negative effects of sitting all day. Because we are living organisms, we adapt to our external environment. If the external environment is sitting in front of a computer, than our body’s will adapt to this.

Office workers over time tend to develop a forward head posture (FHP) and a rounded upper back. The shoulders also roll forward.

This is bad news because this posture puts more stress on the bones in the neck and upper back than they were designed to resist. This causes them to degenerate and become unstable. Because of this, the neck and upper back muscles have to work harder which can lead to all sorts of physical problems such as headaches, neck pain, upper back pain, shoulder and arm pain, and insomnia.

As time goes on the condition can become worse leading to chronic pain and disability.

In addition, there have been numerous studies over the past several years that show people that sit most of the day have a higher risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, and early death.

Great…so what can you do about it?

Well, the way we see it is that by design we need to be getting a lot of exercise…life is motion. So the solution is simple…increase physical activity…a lot. Walk more, take stairs, take breaks and walk around. Heck…you can even get a life cycle or exercise bike at your desk or workstation. Go on a walk when you get home, before work, whatever…just start moving around a lot more than you do.

As far as the poor posture goes…well, that’s where chiropractic comes into play. We are the posture experts. We can help correct your forward head posture (FHP) as well and any other parts of your spine or body that are out of normal alignment and position. We can help you adjust your workstation, sleeping positions, workouts, and exercise patterns so that you have a way to counteract the negative effects of sitting all day.

What you eat and drink plays a big role as well. Your chiropractor can help you here too.

Your chiropractor is your One Stop Posture Shop.

Yes, sitting is bad news and the news seems to get worse. But the solution is right there before you. The ball is in your court. You don’t need to be a statistic. Take action now…pick-up the phone and call your chiropractor!

I am a Chiropractor in the San Francisco Financial District specializing in chronic neck, arm and hand pain. I also treat herniated discs using spinal decompression, whiplash, sports injuries, headaches, and Fibromyalgia. My clinic is certified in the use of Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the LiteCure LCT-1000 for conditions such as shoulder pain, TMJ and Plantar Fasciitis. I have been in practice for over 20 years.

It is well documented that sitting for extended periods in front of a computer doing repetitive movements is a primary cause of back, neck, and upper extremity pain, even carpal tunnel syndrome. But are there other health risks involved?

What about sitting and heart attack risk?

What is considered an extended period and what if you are not in front of a computer but are just sitting, reading or watching TV or playing video games, is this hazardous to your health somehow?

Researchers have linked sitting for long periods of time with a number
of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster
of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar,
excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.

Too much sitting also seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

One recent study compared adults who spent less than two hours a day in
front of the TV or other screen-based entertainment with those who
logged more than four hours a day of recreational screen time. Those
with greater screen time had:

A nearly 50 percent increased risk of death from any cause

About a 125 percent increased risk of events associated with cardiovascular disease, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack

The increased risk was separate from other traditional risk factors for
cardiovascular disease, such as smoking or high blood pressure.

Sitting in front of the TV isn’t the only concern. Any extended sitting —
such as behind a desk at work or behind the wheel — can be harmful.
What’s more, spending a few hours a week at the gym or otherwise engaged
in moderate or vigorous activity doesn’t seem to significantly offset
the risk.

Rather, the solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall.
You might start by simply standing rather than sitting whenever you have
the chance.

My Take: Life is motion, and we need a lot more than we think. I have a close friend who suffered a heart attack that was in great physical shape, ate a plant based diet, worked out 4-5 times per week, but was sitting all day in front of a computer under tremendous stress to meet deadlines. He made it thankfully, and now makes it a point to walk whenever he can, do aerobic exercise 5 days per week, and sit a lot less. Heck…even standing at your desk is better than sitting according to research.

Even if you workout a few days a week and run or do aerobics, you are still at risk. So pick up the pace, really pick it up…hit the stairs, walk to and from wherever it is you are going whenever you can…and take frequent breaks throughout the day where you get up and move around. What about a treadmill at your desk…I am prescribing them and so are other doctors, because Life is motion.

By Eben Davis

Dr. Davis has been practicing chiropractic in downtown San Francisco for over 21 years.

I am a Chiropractor in the San Francisco Financial District specializing in chronic neck, arm and hand pain. I also treat herniated discs using spinal decompression, whiplash, sports injuries, headaches, and Fibromyalgia. My clinic is certified in the use of Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the LiteCure LCT-1000 for conditions such as shoulder pain, TMJ and Plantar Fasciitis. I have been in practice for over 20 years.

We have been providing chiropractic in downtown San Francisco for over 20 years. The majority of our patients spend the day at a desk in front of a computer, sometimes under enormous amounts of stress.

We have always known that sitting for long periods doing repetitive motions (in a static position) can lead to back, neck and wrist pain. Chiropractic adjustments, proper ergonomics, micro-breaks, and stress management techniques (such as meditation and visualization) help to counter these stresses.

But now there is overwhelming evidence in the form of recent research results that implicate sitting for long periods with increased risk of heart disease. It seems that sitting for extended periods promotes a particular form of fat formation around the heart that stays in place even with regular exercise. Now that's scary.

The only solution appears to be increasing your level of movement. Walking more, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, doing aerobic exercise daily vs. just 3x per week. Heck, they are even making treadmill desks and fitting offices with life cycles and indoor tracks. In fact, I predict that the workplace of the future will look more like a health club than an office.

There will be treadmills and bikes that are computerized. You will enter your PIN# so that you can do work while doing MANDATORY exercise. This will end up reducing health care costs because we will have a healthier work force. More large corporations will move to self insurance or will be able to negotiate more affordable insurance premiums because their employees will have lower risk profiles.

Anyway, this is all well and good, but what should you do right now to reduce the likelihood of heart disease, musculoskeletal disorders, or other diseases that may result from lack of motion?

Here's what I think:

1. See a chiropractor 2-4x per month.

2. Workout with weights or resistance 3-4x per week for at least 30 minutes.

3. Do Aerobic exercise at least 5 days per week.

4. Walk whenever you can

5. Take the stairs frequently.

6. Take 10 minute breaks every hour and walk around and stretch. Your chiropractor can teach you stretches you can do at your desk and during your power walks.

7. Drink the equivalent of 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day.

8. Eat primarily plant foods as the Typical American Diet is highly inflammatory. Our best resource for plant based nutrition is Dr. John McDougall, MD.

9. Consider a treadmill desk or bike if you have the means.

10. Play and move around a lot.

So there you go. You dont have to be a victim. Here are some links to a few articles that have to do with recent research on the detrimental effects of sitting:

I am a Chiropractor in the San Francisco Financial District specializing in chronic neck, arm and hand pain. I also treat herniated discs using spinal decompression, whiplash, sports injuries, headaches, and Fibromyalgia. My clinic is certified in the use of Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the LiteCure LCT-1000 for conditions such as shoulder pain, TMJ and Plantar Fasciitis. I have been in practice for over 20 years.

Recently, there has been a cascade of study results demonstrating the negative effects of sitting for long periods on our health. It does not seem to matter whether it is sitting in front of a TV screen, computer monitor, or ice cream stand…it's the lack of motion that seems to be the problem.

Research carried out by the American College of Cardiology shows that prolonged sitting is linked to increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and even early death and could be just as dangerous, if not more so, than smoking.

Cardiologist Dr David Coven said: Smoking certainly is a major cardiovascular risk factor and sitting can be equivalent in many cases.

The fact of being sedentary causes factors to happen in the body that are very detrimental.'

He told CBS that when you sit for long periods of time your body goes into storage mode and stops working as effectively as it should.

And just like smoking, the more you do it, the greater the likelihood of developing one or more of the diseases.

Paul Golin told CBS he was sitting up to eight hours a day until he had a health scare which he believes was largely brought on by sitting down all day (full story here).

My Take: I know I am guilty…as are most of our San Francisco Chiropractic patients…and most of the people reading this. Everyone sits too much it seems. So what is the solution? Well…you can rig up a treadmill to your desk like the guy in the article above or gal in the feature photo. Or…you can just do a lot of walking and moving around while you work and make sure you get a lot of exercise…at least 30 minutes per day. Take breaks and take a walk…walk at lunch…take the stairs, etc.

I am a Chiropractor in the San Francisco Financial District specializing in chronic neck, arm and hand pain. I also treat herniated discs using spinal decompression, whiplash, sports injuries, headaches, and Fibromyalgia. My clinic is certified in the use of Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the LiteCure LCT-1000 for conditions such as shoulder pain, TMJ and Plantar Fasciitis. I have been in practice for over 20 years.